Banana Almond Honey Muffins

Recipe Source :Rachel Allen's Cake Diaries

Ingredients:

Dry:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Wet:
2 Eggs
75ml vegetable oil
1/3 Cup + 2.5 tbsp Honey
3-4 fully riped bananas

Topping
2 tbsp chopped almonds / walnuts

Method:

1. Take all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix it evenly.
2. Take all wet ingredients in a bowl and whisk it to a uniform paste.
3. Make a well in the bowl containing dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients slowly

4. Use a spatula to fold the mixture evenly for a smooth consistency.
5. To the uniform mixture add chopped almonds
6. Preheat the oven to 190 and line up paper cups in the muffin tray and bake for about 20 mins
7. Insert a tooth pick in the middle of the muffin. If the pick comes out clean, then take them out and allow it cool down for about 10 minutes.
8. Enjoy with masala chai

Jack Fruit Seed - Raw Mango Gravy

I have been watching a program for the last couple of months in PudhuYugam TV. And the program is called  "Konjam Soru Konjam Varalaru" - literal translation is "Little Food Little History". The anchor goes on a tour around the country and explores their cuisine and shows some special recipes cooked by the locals. Last week was an episode on Panruti , a town in cuddalore district , Tamil Nadu. The place is famous for Jackfruit and Cashews. I was totally surprised to know the etymology of JackFruit. It originated from a malayalam word Chakka which in turn became Jaca and then finally Jack Fruit! So one of the recipes that they showed in that program was this jackfruit seed raw mango gravy. It was quite an easy recipe and being a half mallu wanted to give it a try. The shallots cooked in coconut oil emanates a great aroma ..and the coriander powder gives a wonderful flavor.  Everybody at home liked it.

My mum says my grandfather used to bring home a BIG JackFruit and slowly carve out the bulbs and seeds. My mom ,aunts and uncles used to sit around waiting to taste it. My grandpa used to dip it in honey and give each one of them a bulb in turns.

Recipe:

Prep Time : 15 minutes.
Cooking Time : 10 minutes.
Source :Swapna's Cuisine

Ingredients:

1 small onion sliced
10 jackfruit seeds
1/4 cup raw mango chopped length wise
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coconut oil
1 green chilli slit vertically.
water as required
salt as required

For Grinding
3 Tbsp grated Coconut  
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli
10 shallots

For Tempering
10 shallots
2 red chillies
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves

Method:
1. Remove the seeds from jack fruit and pressure cook it for one whistle .
2. In the meanwhile, chop the raw mangoes and keep it separately. Grind all the ingredients together under For Grinding section.
3. Once the pressure subsides,remove the slippery covering of the seeds and mash it.
    In the same cooker, add 1 tsp coconut oil and wait until it turns hot. Add shallots and green chilli   and saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the mashed seeds ,chopped raw mango ,salt , 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil until the raw mangoes become soft.
5. Now add the ground paste and simmer it for 2 minutes.
6. In the meanwhile in a separate pan add 1 tsp coconut oil and mustard seeds . Once they splutter add chopped shallots, red chillies and curry leaves.
7. Pour this to the gravy.
8. Serve hot.

Note:
I tried microwaving the seeds for 30 seconds to get rid of the skin  , but wasn't too successful. So let me know if you have another way to do it.

Tidbits:

Did you know Jack Fruit is



1. used in chinese medicine to mitigate the effects of alchohol in our body.
2.  rich in fibre and can treat constipation
3. Rich in vitamin A and C ; hence good for skin and eyes.

Palak - Tomato Soup

So what did I learn new this time? - "Pressure Cooking!"
I have heard people say dishes will lose its nutrients when pressure cooked and I had my doubts too. But didn't bother too much because it helped me to cook faster and that's how I was taught to cook. Few months back I joined a FB group called UBF - United by Food. This group led by Rama Krishnan experiments many recipes by pressure cooking. Now that I have time; I followed their recipes and did a bit of google search too. I gave some flopped; average and good shows ;). 

Putting into a nutshell pressure cooking

1. Retains the nutrients and flavor intact.
2. Transfers the nutrients to the liquid but is not lost. 

    Do retain your veggies broth and substitute water with the broth in soups
3. Increases the boiling point of water and hence cooks faster.

4. Saves fuel

Recipe

Prep Time : 2 minutes
Cooking Time : 8 minutes.
Serves : 2
Source : Inspired by OPOS Theme from UBF FB page.

Ingredients

6-7 garlic cloves
1 medium sized tomato
2 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
15 palak leaves(wash them thoroughly)
Salt as needed
Water as needed
Cheese topping (optional)

Method

1. Take a pressure cooker and add 1 tsp olive oil.
2. Add cumin seeds and once they splutter add garlic and saute until they turn brown . Then add tomatoes,spinach and salt. Saute for 2 minutes and add water.
( depending on how u want your soup - thick/clear)
I liked the thick creamy texture of the soup.
3. Close the lid and leave it for a whistle.
4. Once the pressure subsides blend it in a mixie and add pepper according to your spice level.
5. Serve hot

Note
1. Get rid of the garlic's skin by microwaving it for 30 seconds.
2. Instead of adding water you can add veggies broth or dal water too.

Tidbits:

Did you know Spinach 

1. is packed with nutrients (has loads of Vitamin A and C) that is good for hair and skin.

2. is anti - diabetic and has anti-cancer substances

3. can be your friend if you're trying to shed that extra flesh because of it's low calorific value.

Cracked wheat / Samba Ravai Idly

The first thing I did when I thought of doing this dish was google about whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains have amazing heath benefits. Happy to have learnt something new.I tasted samba rava for the first time only after marriage. My father(in law) who is an excellent cook and an expert in deep fries did this one day and called it "kazhuda upma"(not sure about the etymology though). Since then it used to be samba rava upma / kichidi at home for breakfast once in a whole

Now that both K and I are in a weight losing spree ; I am trying to cook food with less calories.  In the past I have never been very conscious on what I eat(except oily stuff and sweets). As I started exploring I realised there is more to it than simply cooking delicious food.

Cooking time : 12 - 15 minutes

Prep time  : 5 - 8 minutes
Source : Adapted from many fellow blogger's post.

Ingredients

1 cup Samba Rava / broken wheat

1 cup curd

2 carrots grated

2 tsp grated ginger 

1 tsp hing

A pinch of turmeric powder for the color

A bunch of mint leaves chopped(optional)

A bunch of coriander leaves chopped.

Salt

Water as needed

For Tempering

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp cumin seeds / Jeera

2 tsp urad dal

1 tsp channa dal

1 tsp hing

2 green chillies finely chopped

Method

1. Dry roast samba rava for few minutes until it turns hot.

2. In a pan add oil and once it is hot ; add mustard . Once it splutters add jeera,urad dal, channa dal ;hing; grated ginger ,turmeric powder and green chillies.Saute for a couple of minutes. 

3. Add grated carrots and saute until it becomes soft.Add mint leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes.

4. Once the mixture cools down, In a large mixing bowl ; add roasted broken wheat; the veggie mixture; some coriander leaves ; salt ; curd.

5. Add water until you get pouring consistency.

6. Grease the idly plates with oil and fill it with the prepared batter.

7. Steam it for 12-15 minutes . Insert  a tooth pick at the centre of the idly and if it comes out clean;we are good to go.

Notes

1. Do not keep the batter for a long time. Steam it quickly. Otherwise the water will be absorbed and the batter will thicken again.

2. The left over idlies can be made into upmas
3. Replace cracked wheat with semolina for rava idly

Tidbits

Did you know?

Cracked/broken wheat

1. Is rich in fibre content

2. can fight cancer

3. Has anti oxidants

Banana stem fritters / vazhaithandu vadai

Banana stem is something I disliked the most as a child. During pregnancy when I was down with severe constipation my doctor suggested to eat fibrous food. Banana stem is one such vegetable which is rich in fiber content. It surely helps!

I have eaten only 2 dishes out of banana stem. One is the usual dry curry with coconut topping and the other one is "more kootu" ,a gravy done with curd. My friend suggested raitha with banana stem.But I was looking for an interesting recipe and luckily I saw a chef named Malgudi Kavitha doing it in a TV show. This banana stem fritters cannot be done very often as it is deep fried ; however we can surely enjoy this once in a while.

No one guessed that these crispy delicious fritters were made of banana stem ! This is one way to hide veggies!So go ahead and surprise people at home. :)

Recipe:

Cooking time : 15 minutes
Makes 10 vadas
Prep time : 20 minutes
Source : TV Show

Ingredients

1 cup banana stem
1 onion minced
1 cup channa dal / Split Bengal gram
4 red chillies
8 garlic cloves
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp hing
Baking soda a pinch (optional)
Curry leaves a small bunch
1/4 cup Rice flour
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Prep steps:

1. Soak channa dal in warm water for 20 minutes.
2. Finely chop banana stem after discarding the thick outer layer.
3. Mince the onion.

Method:
1. Squeeze out the water from banana stem.
2. Drain water from channa dal and grind it coarsely with garlic , fennel seeds, and dry red chilli.
3. Mix finely chopped banana stem with the ground paste ; rice flour; hing ; salt ; baking soda;  minced onion and chopped curry leaves.
4. Pour oil in a deep skillet and wait until the oil turns hot.  Turn down the flame to low.
    Shape up the vadas and put 2 or 3 at a time in the skillet.
5. Wait until they turn into golden brown and get a crispy texture.
    (Hint: Bubbling of oil will subside in a while )
6. Drain the oil in the vadas by placing them on paper towels or tissue papers.
7. Serve hot with any chutney. I did Coriander Chutney.


Note:
1.Keeping the heat in low flame is very important otherwise the outer layer darkens soon with out the stuffing getting cooked.
2. Don't discard the water squeezed out from banana stem in step 1. You can consume it like juice as it is packed with nutrients and can contribute to weightloss.

Tidbits

                                           Picture Courtesy : http://distantdrumlin.wordpress.com

Did you know banana stem

1. can ease out constipation.
2. is rich in fibre content and can help in weight loss.
3. can prevent formation of kidney stones.
4. is anti-diabetic as it produces insulin

Burnt Garlic and Whole Wheat Pasta

Back to my blog after a while. Things  have been crazy at my end. I was super busy cleaning ; cooking; house keeping; and taking care of my baby. Now back to my mom's place for a break!

PASTA  - Had an instant liking towards this dish. The colors on the plate ; the aroma of the italian herbs; the texture of the pasta; the fragrance and taste of olive oil was very new to me. I tasted it for the first time only during my college days.

Never thought I could do pasta at home. I thought preparation of red or white sauce is Cumbersome and I might not get the right  consistentency;  My best friend A taught me a simple recipe called Aglio Olio with pasta minus sauce and I tried that at home. Both K and I liked it. This is a small enhancement to that recipe.

K & I simply love garlic. Both it's flavour and aroma ! So decided to do something with burnt garlic.

Recipe:

Serves 3
Prep time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients

1 cup pasta (I used fusili ; wheat pasta)
2 or 3 garlic pods chopped
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 cup capsicum
1 tomato
5 or 6 broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cheese cube grated(I used amul)(optional)
2 tsp Italian herbs (I got keya pasta seasoning)

Method

1. Pressure cook pasta with salt for 1 whistle.
2. In a deep skillet add 1 tbsp olive oil add ginger garlic paste and the garlic pods and sauté it until the raw smell disappears and garlic turns golden brown.
3. Add the diced capsicum; tomatoes and a pinch of salt and saute in a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Let the capsicums remain crunchy.
4. Cook broccoli separately in hot water with just a pinch of turmeric n salt. Drain it and add it to the skillet.
5. Drain the pressure cooked pasta in a colander and add it to the skillet.
6. Drizzle 1tbsp olive oil and shower some chilli flakes ; italian herbs and toss it for a couple of minutes.
7. In the end , top it with grated cheese and serve hot.

IMHO this doesn't require sauce or any other accompaniment.

Note:
1. Chilli flakes can be varied based on your spice levels.
2. Since pasta and veggies are cooked separately beware of the amount of salt that goes in.
3. You can replace wheat pasta with millet or normal pasta
4. Garlic's skin can be peeled easily if they are microwaved for 30 to 40 seconds.
5. The veggies that goes in can vary depending on your palette
6. For a vegan recipe ; simply avoid adding grated cheese.
7. Chilli flakes can be made at home. Microwave 3 or 5 chilli for 30 seconds and grind it coarsely


Tidbits

Did you know Garlic

1. Has anti virus and anti bacterial property.  Helps combat food poisoning

2. Reduces blood pressure and cardiovascular problems like heart attacks

3.has anti cancer property

Dried Citron Spicy Gravy / Narthangai Vethakuzhambu

This citron spicy gravy has a tangy and a unique flavor of the citron. Especially "mommies-to-be" in their first trimester will love this as it combats nausea.

For me, the first trimester was very difficult. I had to fight the morning sickness and nausea  every single day. I couldn't take the fragrance of few dishes that I used to like. I had a tough time in the kitchen wondering what I should cook to suit my palette. These gravies can come to your rescue if it is made less spicy and consumed in small quantities.(Spice and citrus fruits can cause acidity/heartburn).

 

The little pleasures in life is when you spend time with your besties from school and college and your Family. The amazing feeling you get when you know they are there during the important facets of your life. The little cute sweet niece and nephew gifting me, kissing me, running behind me, feeling the baby inside my tummy, the super innocent questions they asked me , the dance and music performances they did for me, their contribution in decorating the party hall for my baby shower ... WoW , I was a VVIP! 

These people organized some funny games that K and I had to play; - a rapid fire round about baby care in the first few months ; projecting the baby pictures of our friends and families and asking us to guess; match the following game where we had to match the celebrity and their kids. I gave an average performance. :-)

To top this all , they ordered a yummy food from sarvsri and a delicious cake from Linuskitchen 

My blogs are like a not-so-personal-diary where I can share the beautiful moments I have had. And you may get some ideas from here that you can use it for your loved ones. :-)

Serves : 3
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Prep Time : 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3-4 pieces dried unriped citron / narthangai (in tamil)
2 table spoon sesame oil
½ tea spoon turmeric powder
2 cups tamarind water extract
(soak 2 goose berry sized tamarind balls in hot water for 2-3 mins and get a thin extract out of it)
Salt as needed
2 tablespoon sambar powder
1 tablespoon Jaggery
Rice Flour (optional)

To Temper
 ½ teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon split bengal gram
½ tea spoon Fenugreek seeds
3 red chillies 
A pinch of asafoetida
A bunch of curry leaves

Method
1. In a deep pan add 1 table spoon sesame oil and add everything under To Temper and saute for a minute.
2. Add the dried citrons and saute for a 2-3 minutes in a low flame.
3. Add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt.close the lid and allow it to boil until the gravy thickens and the raw smell disappears.
4. After 10 minutes, add jaggery little by little to balance the tangy flavor from tamarind and citron.
5. If it is watery, mix rice flour with water and add it to the gravy.
6. Drizzle 1 tablespoon sesame oil in the end . This gives a nice aroma to the gravy.
7. Serve hot with rice or as an accompaniment to any upma , idly, dosa.

Tidbits
 

                                          Pic courtesy : Shanthisthaligai.blogspot.in

Did you know dried citron

1. is used to treat nausea , sea sickness , dysentry and vomiting
2. is a rich source of vitamin c
3. can improve appetite , relieve from stomach ache and treat intestinal ailments.